Transmission mechanism for automobiles.



A RBRUSH. TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

- APPLICAHON HLE D JUNE]. 19!? 1,291,391

Patented Jan. 14,1919;

A. P. BRUSH.

TRANSMISS ION MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES. rut/mun FILED mm: 1. 1912 1,291,391. Patented Jun. 14,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WWBMA A. P. BRUSH. TRANSMISSION MEOHANiSM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 7. NH]

1,291,391. Patented Jam-14,1919.

. eli'ect the deiicrminwl gear reduction when UNITED sTAT sriiTE T OFFICE.

ALANSON P. BRUSH. or DETROIT. MICHiGAN.

. TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 14;, 1919.

Application filed June 7. 1917. Serial No. 173,259.

sion mechanism for automobiles; that is to say. to'mechanism through which the rotary motion may be transmitted to the driving wheels of the automobile at several speed ratiog in one direction or in the reverse direction, as required.

The speed changing part of the transmis sion mechanism of automobiles which are in .common use, provide for one direct drive,

which is substantially noiseless, and for sev eral indirect drives, through gear trains, which are. noisy and therefore objectionable For COllllliHOHs drivinq. Designers of the transmission mechanism for automobiles determine whatgear reduction is required as between the engine shaft and driving wheels for the ordinary use of the automobile. havin in mind the power output of the engine; and usually the drivin pinion and the-ring gears of the dilferential mechanism are made of suchrelativc size as to iho power is transmitted directly through the changospeed gearing instead of through some. speed (hanging gear trains thereof. The gear reduction determined upon and provided for under thrse conditions is always a compromise such a will impart, to

the car a wide range onthe direct. But obviously gear reduction which will permit a car to travel over had roads. and up small hills on direct. is too great for higcst, elli- -ciency on a car whichhabitually travels ove smooth l'evelroad surfaces. To meet such conditions of use some utomobile lilllltltls provide the speed changing, gearing with a 1'(.Hl'll'2llll. which increases instead of decreases" the gear ratio: but thi mechanism isobjeotiouabhbecause noisy.

The chief object of lllls invention is to provide an automobile with two silent. ratio changing meohanisn'is each suitable for continuous use. Another object is to convenientlv group the essential parts of suchtransmission mechanism, to the end that they may be assembled and disassembled and .n'ierhanism now to be described.

taken care of generally with easeand at minimum cost.

The invention consists in the construction andcombination of parts shown in the drawing. hereinafter described and pointed out. definitely in the appended claims.

In t.liedrawings Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the transmission mechanism in which the present invention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 3 is a front end view when the device is turned .on its side, and Fig. 4 is a front end view avhen the cap plate 18 1s removed.

Referring to the parts by reference characters. 10 represents the hollow frame member of the rear axle of an auton'iobile. This hollow axle frame member is substantially like that which is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,168,245. in that it is composed of two tubular end members .1()".,and auintermediate annular member, 10, which iS located between and is rigidly. secured to said end members. The intermediate member 1o is. however. formed with an integral forwardly projectingngear casing 16, the frout'ond of which is closed by a removable plate 18. I

Within the hollow axle frame member the ditl'erential gearing is mounted in proper relation to the two lined live axle shafts 13. This ditlerontial gearing includes a rotary 'ea r housing or drum l4, and suitable gearinn" therein of well known or any suitable construction for transmittin; from said housingto the live aXlo sections 13 properly ditl'ereuliatcd rotary motion. This gear housing is provided with a bevel ring gear 15 by which it may be rotated through the \Vilhin the gear ('HSt Hi two shafts 20 and ll) are mounted in parallel relations. and upon suitable antid'rirtion bearings. l larlh shal'l has two bearings. one ,carriod by the the member to and the gear case 16. This partition it) is formed with two sleeves 40 and it)". andthe plate 18 is'formed with two sleeves lh and lit". The outer ring 44 of the front ring bearing of shaft 20 is lillod within the sleeve l8, a-ud the outer ring 4-5 of the rear ring bearing of theshaft i 20 is fitted in the sleeve 40. The outer ring it; of the front ring bearing of the shaft 30 is titted and-fixed in the sleeve 18", while the outer ring 47of the rear ring bearing propriate mechanism,

-' a 30, and thence is slidably fitted within the sleeve 40. The front end of the shaft 20 projects out of the case l6,-through 18 secured over the front end thereof; and it is to this projecting front end that motion must be. transmitted through any apof which a great variety is known in thi art, from the motor shaft. Thi shaft 20, therefore, becomes the .driving shaft of this transmission mechanism. The shaft 30 is an intermediate shaft, that is to say, it is intermediate of this driv ng shaft 20 and the differential gear housing 14, which it is provided for turning. The rear end of the shaft 30 projects into the hollow frame member 10 and carries a bevel pinion 31 which is in constant mesh with the bevel ring gear 15. 1

Two silent spiral gears 31 and are. fixed to the shaft 3.0. These'are of different diameters, and they respectively mesh with two similar gears 21, :22, which are rotatably mounted upon the shaft 20 in such positions that they will always be in mesh with the gears 31, 32-. (hitch n-icchanisnr is provided whereby either of the gears '21. 2'3. may be clutched to the driving shaft, 20: wherefore, the intermediate shaft will he turned, aud at high driving speed if it' he the gear 21 which is clutched to the shaft known as low driving 20, or at what is 2') which is clutched speed, if it be the gear to shaft 20.

Additionallythere is secured to the driv-.

ing shaft 20 two spur gears .23. 24. .\;gear 34 is slidably mounted upon f the intermediate shaft- 30. and has a driving connection therewith, but may be moved endwise along said-shaft;-and it is of such diameter that it may mesh with gear ii-{whereby low speed motion will be transmitted from the driving shaft upon a longitudinally grooved enlarged part 25 of shaft 20. and the sleeve 50 has tongues which slidably fit the grooves. The hubs 21. 22,of the gears the same diameter as the of the shaft, and have similar longitudinrl grooves therein: wherefore b v sliding this clutch sleeve forward itwill come into interlockingengagement with the hub of the gear in interlocking engage 21, While it remains ment with the shaft 20. whereby the gear 21 will be clutched to the shaft; or it may be a removable cap plate.

'itendwise.

driving connection therewith :20 to the intermediate shaft to the differential gear housing. -01; this gear 3ft, by being moved rear- 2] and are ofjecting rearwardly enlarged part 25- gear 22 and shaft 20.

i This clutch sleeve has an {external annular groove 51 which receives the fork arms 53 fixed to an 'endwise movable clutch operating rod-54 which extends out of the front end of the gear case 16 to a point convenient for the driver to operate it and move Another longitudinally movable rod 56 is provided within the case lli witha fork'o'l" that embraces the gear 34 and this rod. 56 extends out of the front end of the case it) to a convenient point for the driver to movethe gear-34 forward-or backwardoir shaft 30 as required to.v bring about the desired results.

Having described my invention. l claim 1. In automobile transmissionmechanisni. the combination of a driving shaft. an inter mediate shaft parallel thereto. mechanism constantly operated to transmit motion from said intermediate shaft to the. driving wheels of the automobile. a pair, of spiral gears of different diameters on the driving shaftya pair of spiral gears of different diameters on the intermediate shaft con stantly in mesh with the spiral gears on the driving shaft. the said spiral gears being fast to one of said shafts and lyingloosely mounted on the other shaft, inh'ans by which to connect either or neither of the lastmentioned gears with the shaft upon which-they are loosely mounted. two gears fixed to one of said shafts. an idler gear in constant mesh with one of said gears. and a gear slidably mounted upon the other shaft and having a. and adapted to be. moved into and out of engagement with one of the last mentioned gears fixed to the shaft on which it is mounted or with thesaid idler gears.

2. ln automobile transmission mechanism.- thecombination of a hollow axle frame member. differential gearing rotatahly mount- ;ed therein. a casing iixed'to and projectlar manner a similar connection between.

ing forward froin said axle frame mcm-.

\ ber a driving shaft rotatably mounted in said casing on an axis at right angles to that of the differential gearing within the hollow axle frame member.-which driving shaft pro ects forward out of the front end of said casing. an intermediate shaft parallel with'said driving shaft rotatably mounted within't-be said casingand protlicreilrominto the hol low axle frame member. intermeshing gears secure-drespectively to the rear end of said intermediate. shaft and to said differential gearing. a plurality of spiral gears upon the {driving and intermediate shaftsin constant mesh. the gears on one of said shafts being loosely mounted. and means tolock any one of those loosely inounted' gears to the shaft a plurality of bly mounted therein,

on which it is mounted-and at thesame time disengage the other loosely mounted gear from said shaft.

3. In automobile transmission mechanism,

the combination of a hollow axle frame frame member, intermeshing gears secured respectively to the rear end of said intermed ate shaft and to said differential gearing, spiral gears upon the driving and intermediate shafts 1n constant mesh,

the gears on one of said shafts being loosely mounted, and means to lock any one of those loosely mounted gears to the shaft on which it is mounted and at the same time disengage the other looselyimounted gears from said shaft, a gear fixed to the shaft on which are the loosely mounted gears, ably mounted on the other shaft and having a driving connection therewith, and means move said last mentioned gear lengthwise of the shaft on which it is mounted into and out of mesh with the gear fixed to the other shaft. H

4. In automobile transmission mechanism, the combination of a hollow axle frame a member, a transmission gear case fixed to r, and projecting orward therefrom, a cap plate secured to the front end of said casing to close thesame, there being a transverse anti-friction bearings for said partition within the rear end of said gear casing, a driving shaft which lies for most part within said gear casing and projects forward therefrom through said cap plate,

ported on said cap plate and on said partition, an intermediate shaft parallel with the driving shaft and lying for most part within said gear casing but projecting rearwardly therefrom into the hollow axle frame member, anti-friction bearings for said intermediate shaft supported on the front cap plate and on said partition, constantly meshing gears Within said hollow axle frame mcin her fixed respectively to the rear end of said transverse partition,

a gear slidshaft sup-- with either,

to said differential intermediate, shaft and gears upon the drivgearmg, a plurality of mg shaft within said gear casing, an equal number of constantly meshing gears within said casing upon the intermediate shaft, the gears on one of the shafts being loosely mounted and the gears upon the other shaft being fixed to said shaft, and means to look any one of theseloosely mounted gears to the shaft on which it is mounted.

5. In automobile transmission mechanism,

the combination of ga hollow axle frame member, a transmission gear casing fixed to and projecting forwardly therefrom, there being across said casing at its rear end a a cap plate secured to the front end of said casing to close the same, a drivingshaft which is located for most part within said gear casing but which projects out therefrom through the cap plate thereof, said shaft being rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings which are supported on said partition and on said ca plate respectively, an intermediate shaft located for most part Within said casing and projecting rearwardly therefrom into the hollow axle frame member, anti friction bearings for said shaft which'are supported on the cap plate and on said partition, a pair of spiral gears of different diameters upon the intermediate shaft, a pair of constantly meshing spiral gears upon the driving shaft,

the sald gears upon one of said shafts being loosely mounteix and the gears upon the other of said afts being fixed thereto, clutch mechanism adapted to connect either or neither of said loosely mounted gears with the shaft upon which they are mounted, two gears fixed to the shaft on whichgsaid gears are'loose'ly mounted, an idler gear in constant mesh with one of said fixed gears, a gearslidably mounted upon the other shaft and having a driving connection therewith and adapted to mesh with said id with t or to be moved out of mesh means for operating said clutch, means for sliding said sliding gear, differential mechanism mounted within the hollow axle frame member, a gear secured thereto, another gearsecured to the rear end of the intermediateshaft in constant mesh thcrewith.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my 

